William Percy French was also an entertainer, poet and painter. 'Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea ....' Born near Roscommon in 1854, he graduated from Trinity College Dublin as an engineer and worked for 7 years in Cavan as the 'Inspector of Drains'. During that time he wrote songs and painted, which he considered his true talent. After the death of his first wife he turned to the stage for a fulltime career. Today the watercolours of Percy French can fetch high prices but, with no desire to accumulate money himself, French frequently paid for his board and lodgings with paintings or gave them away to friends. The website team spoke to Mrs Iona McFerran (nee Herdman) about her childhood memories of Percy French staying at her parents' house in Sion Mills. He would occasionally pop in to visit her in the nursery. One afternoon he called in just around teatime. When Mrs McFerran had finished eating, French turned her empty plate upside down, took a lit candle and drew a picture with the wax. Unfortunately, says Mrs McFerran, the plate was taken away afterwards and washed! Did any of your family ever meet Percy French? Share your stories and memories by filling in the form at the bottom of the page. - Editor 2004 sees the 150th anniversary of the birth of Percy French in Clooneyquin, Co Roscommon .... to where members of the various Percy French societies in Northern Ireland flocked to mark the occasion. Breege McCusker was there and spoke to relative and champion of Percy French songs, Courtney Kenny. She wondered what he thought of his grand-uncle? Click Here to listen (Breege's report was broadcast on 12th June 2004) (A fine collection of French's paintings can be viewed at the North Down Heritage Centre in Bangor, courtesy of The Percy French Society - www.northdown.gov.uk/heritage/percyfrench.html)

Your responses:

Tom Fitzmaurice - Jan '08
Wonder if Percy French had a brother by name of Edwaard later married at Glasson Westmeath?

Celia Ferguson - Apr '07
For Roger Miller - In reply to your message of Oct 06, I was very interested to read of your Percy French oil painting of Sion Mills. I would love to see it if you can get a digital photo of it. I can be contacted through Sion Mills Buildings Preservation Trust. One of my brothers has a watercolour of the river and the back of the mill, but not of the village. PF used to stay with my grandparents frequently, but I also have the old Visitors Book from Sion House and he stayed there twice with my great-grandparents and has signed the book on 20.12.1895 (address 35 Mespil Road, Dublin) and on 22 Nov 1899, (address 13 Woburn Place, Russell Sq., London), and I have a lovely unsigned watercolour by him of the garden at Sion House.
With best wishes, Celia Ferguson

Michael A. Mc Namee - Mar '07
If anyone is interested, I bought two Percy French signed watercolours on Ebay for my wife as a Chrismas present (2006).
They are both o houses in the Sion Mills area.
I will gladly email photos of them to anyone who ished to view them.
( One is spelt Syon Mills, he other Sion Mills) Regards Michael A. Mc Namee, Newry.
mmcnamee at btconnect dot com

Celia Ferguson - Feb '07
For Roger Miller
I have just spotted your letter. He spent a lot of time in Sion Mills with my grandparents and they had a lot of paintings by him, including a book of watercolours which my late uncle split up so that all the grandchildren (including myself) could have at least one of them. Many of the other were sold at the auction in 1967 when Sion House was sold - I remember that the late Duchess of Abercorn bought quite a lot of them. Perhaps your oil of Sion Mills came from Sion House originally? I would love to see a photo of it as I am Trust Director and founder of Sion Mills Buildings Preservation Trust and much of my work is collecting together archives, photographs and paintings of Sion Mills for a future museum/Visitors Centre in the restored and regenerated Mill. French also stayed with my great-grandparents in Sion House and has signed the visitors book on 20/12/1895 and again on 22 Nov 1899. On the first occasion his address was 35 Mespil Road, Dublin and on the second, 1!
3 Woburn Place, Russell Sq., London. I have a painting of the garden at Sion House which I believe is by him, although unsigned. I also have 2 bog scenes, both watercolours, both signed.

Roger Miller - Oct '06
For Celia Ferguson,

I am researching an oil painting that I have, signed 'Percy French' that says Sion Mills on the reverse.
What is unusual is that it is an oil and I can find no reference to his oil paintings, only his watercolours. Does your family, or anybody else know if he painted an oil of Sion Mills and if so when.

Anything that you or anybody else can tell me about his stay in this area of Ireland would be very interesting. Thanks and kind regards, Roger Miller

Joseph - Aug '06
I would like to talk to someone who knows a thing or two about his paintings. I am trying to find some insight into his works, mainly paintings. Being a massive fan of his paintings rather than his storys - is a frequent argument among friends and I.

I Hope to get a reply, please reply.

G.P.Austin - May '06
As I sit hear in America reading and listening to stories about Percy French I realise how much his songs and storys meant to emigrants from Ireland. They just take one back to the old country. Thank you very much for a wonderful programme. G.P.Austin, orignally from Belfast.

Celia Ferguson (nee Herdman) - May '06
I am Iona McFerran's niece and I have Percy French's illustration to his song "Gortnamona" and also the Visitors' Book from Sion House, Sion Mills where he stayed with my family and which has his signatures.

Brian S - Sept '05
Percy French was a friend of my grandparents in Greystones and used to stay with them - I still have the watercolours he gave them as a wedding present in 1914 and one of the paintings he made for them on a plate with candle smoke.

Tommie Ray - June 05
I was just searching the net for lyrics of Percy French. I found your site. Thanks so much. I have a lot of Irish music and a lot of it is by Percy French. One of my albums is called The Songs of Ireland by Leo McCaffrey. It has Slattery's Mounted Fut. Could you tell me where I can find some more music by the said Leo McCaffrey? Thanks.gc